Gabe Niles Laid Down the Beat to the Best Summer of Your Life

“I’m convinced that I’m just a vessel connected to another realm that consists of nothing but dope beats. I couldn’t tell you where that is.” – Gabe Niles

Gabe knew “Cha Cha” was a hit from the get go, based on the reaction of a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old.

“I was in my sister Sophia’s kitchen,” he said. “My nieces were there while I worked on it and they knew all the words immediately.”

<s/o to them.. Jordan & Zari>

Since then the song, performed with Hampton’s finest, D.R.A.M, has coming on 2 million plays on Spotify, and over a million plays on Souncloud…. but all that’s nothing compared to this, which Queen B posted on her Instagram:

If you don’t hear this song at every party you go to in Hampton Roads this summer you’re going to the wrong parties.

Along with D.R.A.M., Gabe Niles works extensively with Sunny Gicz under the name Sunny & Gabe.

“The randomness that is working with Gabe just feels natural at this point, but one thing I love about him is that even though he’s off the fucking wall, he’s discerning to a point where it can piss me off,” Sunny said. “He’s a brilliant mad scientist and in a heartbeat I would go so far to call him a genius.”

The state’s tourism slogan is “Virginia is for lovers,” but if you’re a fan of the Neptunes, Timbaland, or Missy Elliot you know that the VA should be known for its musical innovators, too. Hoping to join the ranks of the aforementioned Virginia legends is singer-producer duo Sunny & Gabe.

Indeed.

“We as a collective have been literally just been running around being merry little thugs,” he said. “Breaking rules and spreading positivity, shooting people with joy guns, and blowing up sour pusses with euphoria grenades.”

Gabe also does DJ sets under the name @djsupladies. (Feel him on Vine here, and Twitter, and IG.) Earlier this year I saw Gabe open up for Riff Raff on a ticket that should have been flipped upside down. While Riff Raff flexed with all the charm of a limp rubber band, Gabe let it all hang out, as he does, clowning, stopping the music for sing-a-longs, but most of all, keeping that entire room glued to the stage, bodies moving to the beats coming from his finger tips.

I love it.

“It’s mainly just a bunch of ideas coming together and working together to make one. Kinda like a cell bonding to become a multi-cellular organism,” he said. “We can just feel the good energy. Not to sound like a hippie or anything, but that shit is real.”

Jesse was formerly the editor of AltDaily.com and a columnist for the Norfolk Compass & PilotOnline. His work has been published on the pages of The New York Times and on televisions everywhere through his time as a documentary producer with B.E.T.

Jesse often writes about the causes he believes in, including public art, public education, improved mental health care and awareness, the NEON District, government transparency, civic engagement, the decriminalization of marijuana, alternative transportation, and supporting local businesses and culture.

In a former life Jesse was a public school teacher in Brooklyn and San Diego, and a mentor at a home for young men in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a devoted yogi, Knicks fan, live music lover, and road tripper.